Xu Sanshi and Bei Bei felt the absolute suppression emanating from Xiao Yi's Martial Soul and wore bitter expressions. Bei Bei was especially hard-hit—he was being suppressed on two fronts. Xiao Yi was already holding back. If he had brought out Zhao Lan, the Bright Sacred Dragon, Bei Bei would have been suppressed even more severely.
"Bei Bei, this isn't what you told me," Xu Sanshi said gravely.
"I don't know how he got so strong, either. I remember it was clearly a Nether Cold Ice Python." Bei Bei felt a bitter ache in his heart, and his voice came out hoarse.
Xiao Yi didn't care about any of that. A Cold Ice Spear formed in his hand, and he charged at them without hesitation.
Years of fighting side by side had given Xu Sanshi and Bei Bei such rapport that a single glance was enough for them to understand each other. Besides, they already had a plan.
Xu Sanshi's second and third Soul Rings lit up. The effects of the Mystic Nether Shield Formation and Mystic Nether Power activated at once, and three shields appeared before Xiao Yi. But they had barely held for a moment before the bone-chilling cold began to eat through them, and they shattered with a crash.
That brief moment was all they needed. Bei Bei had already lit up three Soul Rings beneath his feet.
Thunder Fury activated, boosting all his attributes. Empowered by the boost, Thunderbolt Strike formed a web of lightning that shot toward Xiao Yi, who had just broken through Xu Sanshi's defense.
"Just what I wanted." Xiao Yi swung the ice spear in his hand and formed a Mystic Ice Shield before him, blocking the thunderous lightning net with a deafening boom.
When the smoke cleared, Xu Sanshi was the only one standing in front of him.
Feeling the rush of air behind him, Xiao Yi spun around and sent countless ice blades blasting toward Bei Bei.
"Fell for it!" Xu Sanshi roared with laughter. His long-prepared fourth Soul Skill activated: Mystic Nether Displacement. At the same time, his first and second Soul Rings lit up.
A formation appeared beneath Bei Bei, who was facing the oncoming ice blades. He and Xu Sanshi switched places. Three massive tortoiseshell shields took the full force of Xiao Yi's attack, and then Xu Sanshi unleashed Mystic Nether Shock, strengthened by his third Soul Skill, Mystic Nether Power.
His tortoiseshell shields couldn't withstand ice blades formed from Xiao Yi's Ultimate Ice, so he could only use his first Soul Skill to scatter their attack. Sure enough, Xiao Yi's ice blades were knocked away by the enhanced Mystic Nether Shock. After all, they had only been casually formed.
The crackle of lightning sounded behind him. Bei Bei formed a Thunder Dragon Claw and lunged for Xiao Yi's back, his strike fierce and sudden. Xiao Yi seemed to have nowhere left to dodge.
As the spectators below held their breath for Xiao Yi, Yan Shaozhe, who had somehow appeared in the stands, merely smiled. If Xiao Yi were that easy to defeat, he wouldn't be Xiao Yi.
Xiao Yi's figure blurred. Soul Power Armor appeared over his body, and he took Bei Bei's full-force attack head-on.
"What!" Bei Bei's expression changed in shock. Xiao Yi's Soul Rings hadn't moved. Where had that Soul Skill come from? Could it be a Self-Created Soul Skill!?
Without even turning his head, Xiao Yi thrust his spear hard at the Mystic Nether Shield Formation before him. The immense force drove cracks through the enhanced formation.
Then another dragon's roar rang out. To Bei Bei and Xu Sanshi's horrified gazes, and amid the spectators' cries of alarm, a second enormous Bright Sacred Dragon appeared from thin air.
Xiao Yi swept his spear across. Ice blades formed behind him once more and blasted toward Bei Bei. Bei Bei hurriedly raised his Thunder Dragon Claw to block, but Xiao Yi struck him hard and sent him crashing to the ground.
The already-cracked Mystic Nether Shield Formation was swept apart by Xiao Yi's spear and shattered with a bang. Using the force of the strike, Xiao Yi soared even higher, then smacked Xu Sanshi out of the air with his spear. Xu Sanshi crashed hard beside Bei Bei.
Xiao Yi landed lightly and leveled his spear at the two injured men before him.
"Do you still want to fight?" Xiao Yi asked calmly.
The two said nothing. They straightened their injured bodies and faced Xiao Yi and the Bright Sacred Dragon behind him, clearly ready to fight on.
"Good. Then I'll show you the respect you deserve." Xiao Yi couldn't help but marvel at the Romance Continent. Every one of these men became absurdly powerful for the sake of a girl.
White light gathered before Xiao Yi, beginning to form the Myriad Flower Ice Mirror. The ice shards spun at incredible speed, turning into a mirror, while the Bright Sacred Dragon opened its fearsome maw and gathered a terrifying surge of energy.
Is Junior Brother really going to use that move? Yan Shaozhe was startled. His Soul Power stirred, and he stood ready to intervene at any moment.
Xiao Yi wanted the two of them to understand the gap between their strength.
Under the shocked, bewildered gazes of the spectators and Xu Sanshi, a beam of light struck the Myriad Flower Ice Mirror Xiao Yi had formed. At present, this was the only way he could release the move—or else the enemy's attack would have to be strong enough to break through his Myriad Flower Ice Mirror.
To use the move on his own, he would probably need to reach the Soul Emperor realm, when he could draw upon the power of heaven and earth. By then, its effect would be on an entirely different level.
The shock and confusion on Xu Sanshi and Bei Bei's faces gradually gave way to terror.
The shattered ice shards before Xiao Yi didn't fall and vanish. Instead, they transformed into countless razor-sharp blades and began to whirl, sweeping toward the two men. They almost saw the Grim Reaper beckoning them onward.
"Mystic Ice Spin Kill!"
The ice-blade tornado rushed toward them, but the two seemed stunned into silence, their will to fight completely gone.
Just as Yan Shaozhe was about to intervene and block the attack, the Ice Blade Storm quietly dispersed. Only a wisp of transparent flame remained, slowly fading from sight. Xiao Yi hadn't unleashed his full strength; otherwise, even he wouldn't have been able to control it.
As the two stood dazed, Xiao Yi's calm voice rang out, completely devoid of any other emotion.
"You've lost." His voice wasn't loud, but in the Soul Fighting Arena, where you could hear a pin drop, those four words echoed for a long time. Then cries of surprise erupted, followed by thunderous applause.
The two managed a bitter smile. They had lost—and lost utterly, with almost no chance to fight back.
Yan Shaozhe slowly withdrew the Soul Power he'd been preparing to use and nodded with satisfaction. It seemed Junior Brother still knew where to draw the line. He wouldn't have to be so on edge every time from now on.
"We lost. A bet's a bet. Here are two Mystic Water Pills." Xu Sanshi slowly got to his feet, looking dejected, and tossed over two jade bottles. Then he turned away in low spirits and led Bei Bei off the Soul Fighting Arena.
They had been beaten to a pulp.
Xiao Yi put away the jade bottles and muttered inwardly, I hope I didn't cripple those two. That wouldn't be good. He'll be the Sea God Pavilion Master and Tang Sect Master one day. They'd make excellent pawns—but that's for the future. They're definitely not there yet.
Xiao Yi slowly left the arena and caught a pink figure as she threw herself at him. Tang Ya wrapped him in a bear hug.
"Xiao Yi, you were amazing!" Little hearts sparkled in Tang Ya's eyes. She was so proud of her choice that she wanted to pin Xiao Yi to the bed right then and have his children.
Jiang Nannan was smiling, too. Though she was trying to open her heart to Xiao Yi, she obviously hadn't warmed up to him as quickly as Tang Ya had. So far, they'd only held hands and hugged.
Xu Sanshi and Bei Bei, who hadn't gone far, exchanged a look and smiled sadly. At that moment, Xu Sanshi finally let go. He planned to return and accept his family's arrangements. He took one last look at Jiang Nannan, radiant with smiles, then walked away without looking back.
Several more figures came over. Naturally, they were Huo Yutong and the other two, along with Ning Tian and Wu Feng.
As for Yan Shaozhe, he wasn't about to come over and get involved. Besides, he still needed to figure out how to talk those two geniuses around. He couldn't let them be crippled.
Tang Wutong glared at Tang Ya and Xiao Yi, who were embracing, her teeth grinding loudly.
She glanced at Ning Tian and Wu Feng approaching. Those were two more stunning girls. Damn Xiao Yi, flirting with women everywhere! Just wait until I'm back in my female clothes—I'll punish you properly. As if I could beat him, though?
"Xiao Yi, would you be available to talk in private later?" Ning Tian asked as she approached, her gaze shining with unconcealed eagerness. Though Wu Feng was displeased, she didn't say anything.
Xiao Yi released Tang Ya from his embrace and slowly nodded.
"Give me a moment." Xiao Yi then turned to Huo Yutong and the other two.
"Yu Tong, let's borrow this place for a bit later. Wait for me here." Huo Yutong nodded to show that was fine, then glanced at Tang Wutong. She snorted and turned her head away.
She really needs to be taught a lesson, that tsundere Princess Tang. Heh heh heh.
Then he looked at Ning Tian and Wu Feng. "Come over here."
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